Method and an apparatus for making a strand of wires and feeding the same at high speed

ABSTRACT

A method for making a strand of wires and feeding the same at high speed and an apparatus therefor comprising: collecting together, by a collecting die provided above a wire supply source a plurality of wires delivered from said source resting on a tray which is not rotated at a great speed, passing the collected group of wires through a guide roller carried on a flyer located below and radially outwardly of said collecting die and circling around said tray, then passing the group of wires downwardly in the position of the rotational axis of said flyer, thereby twisting said group of wires at said die and also at said rotational axis, and then feeding the resulting strand outside the system.

Yoslmida at l.

1,219,314 3/1917 Hubbard 1,263,405 4/1918 Grondahl...... 1,995,533 3/1935 Bochmann et a1... 2,985,994 5/1961 Menke et a1. 3,053,039 9/1962 Demmel........

3,142,952 8/1964 Krafit et m R U E r W m; m H mm T NG iM Y T .mi ,w Mm. N W m A A S m DWE m NSHM AAT am D G G DW m 1 o TK m EA MMm m M n w H Kobayashi, all of Tokyo, Japan [73] Assignees: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Primary Examiner-Donald E. Watkins Attomey-Cushman, Darby & Cushman [S7] ABSCT A method for making a strand of wires and feedin Corpornfion; Yoshlda Engineering Company, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan Jan. 26, 1970 gthe same at [22] Filed:

high speed and an apparatus therefor comprising: collecting a wire su [21] Appl. No.: 5,597

together, by a collecting die provided above pply source a plurality of wires delivered from said source resting r- 5 wwmm mk n om m w %.w %,0 Pmw e d e wamm W mmg rfn a o md m mp a w m n m w um Mm woyw. mmmu m W tlfmd w PHD-00 w owm aw n d m .m mad n k okbc [52] US. [51] Int. [58] Field 01 Search of wires at said die and also at said rotational axis, and then feeding the resulting strand outside the system.

downwardly in the position of the rotational axis of said flyer, thereby twisting said group References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Green 11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATE NTEDJmmmz I 7 3535007 SHEET 5 BF 5' INVENTORE BY %,M4W

ATTORNEYS METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR MAKING A STRAND h WIRES AND FEEDING THE SAME AT HIGH SPEED BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is concerned with a method for making a strand of wires and feeding the same at high speed and an apparatus therefor, and more particularly, it relates to a method for making a strand with a plurality of single wires delivered from a wire supply source, such as the novel multiseetioned wire container, a plurality of bobbins superposed one upon another on a common vertical shaft, or bundle or bundles of single wires, and then feeding the resulting strand outside the system.

2. Description of the Prior Art Conventional methods for forming a strand of wireswhich is used for example in the making of a cable which may be formed with pair, triple or quad of wiresare generally divided roughly into the following two types, that is to say, the so-called bobbin feed type and the container feed type or paying off type from the pay-off-pak. This bobbin feed type is divided further into the following three subtypes:

One of such subtypes is to make a strand of wires, without rotating the feed bobbin about the axis of the running wire, but rotating only the takeup bobbin about the axis of the running wire. Another one of such types is to make a strand of wires by rotating only the feed bobbin about the axis of the running wire, without rotating the takeup bobbin about the axis of the running wire. The remainder of these three types is to make a strand of wires, without rotating either the feed bobbin or the takeup bobbin about the axis of the running wire, but by rotating, about either the feed bobbin or the takeup bobbin, the flyer which carries the wire-guide roller.

The making of a strand by relying on these bobbin feed techniques has been practiced widely in the past. However, these prior methods had the disadvantages and shortcomings as will be described later, including the drawback that the feed wires were subjected to frequent damages.

For this reason, there has been developed and put into practice increasing widely a method for making a strand of wires which is called the container feed method which is designed to effect the making of a strand by the use of a wire supply source which is a hollow cylindrical container in which is stored the wire in the form of piles of loops and by forming a strand from the wire paid out from this container.

More specifically, in the aforesaid bobbin feed method, either the take up bobbin or the feed bobbin is rotated about the axis of the running wire. However, the weight of these bobbins being considerably great, the apparatus required to be designed so as to have a high-mechanical strength sufficient for overcoming the centrifugal force produced and applied thereto by the rotation of the bobbin. Also, in the case of the prior method where a flyer was rotated about the bobbins, the flyer which was rotated required a considerably great radius. This, in turn, necessitated a particular consideration, as in the preceding method described, on the centrifugal force to which the apparatus was subjected, and accordingly, this method had the drawback that the apparatus could not be operated at a high speed. Furthermore, the container feed method of the prior art had the disadvantage that, owing to the fact that the wire container per se is rotated, the piles of wire loops contained therein tended to be lifted up in the container, causing the entanglement of the wire, that accordingly, it was impossible to perform high-speed operation for the sake of avoiding the lifting and the resulting entanglement of the loops of wire, and that, as a result, the wire had to be fed at an undesirably low speed. Especially in the case where a strand of twisted wires was made by relying on the aforesaid bobbin feed method, it was necessary to prepare, in advance, paired, tripled or quaded wireswhich were the components of the strand to be manufacturedby the use of a twister, and therefore, this additional process which comprised an operation for taking up the wire on a bobbin, storage of such bobbins and application and removal of the bobbins to or from the stranding apparatus, contributed enormously to the increase in the manufacturing cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a method for making a strand of wires and feeding the same at a high speed by the use of an apparatus having the arrangement comprising a wire supply source, such as the novel multisectioned container, a plurality of bobbins superposed on upon another on a common shaft which consists of the central vertical columns of the bobbins, or bundles of wires, and by withdrawing a plurality of wires from said wire supply source, smoothly making a strand with these wires and feeding the resulting strand outside the system, and also provide an apparatus suitable for putting this method into prac tice.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for making a strand of wires and feeding the same at a high speed, said method being such that, when applied to the feeding of the strand formed by a strander, there can be omitted not only the use of a conventional twister or the device for making paired, tripled or quaded wires from single wires, but also the inclusion of the wire twisting operation, the use of bobbins for winding and carrying the twisted wires and all other operations such as applying the twisted wires around the bobbin and applying and removing the bobbins to and from a strander, and further the accessory equipment required for these purposes, and the present invention also provide an apparatus which is suitable for putting this method into practice.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel wire feeding, lay-making and discharging apparatus which can employ a conventional single wire-container, bobbin or wire bundle as the wire supply source and which can feed the wire at a high speed while imparting sufficient lay thereto, by the provision of a flyer having a wire guide roller and circling around such a wire supply source.

These and other objects together with the attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmental side elevation, partly in section, of one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention intended for putting the method of the present invention into practice;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation of one example of the feed section of the strander to which the method of the present invention is applied;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic fragmental plan view of the aforesaid section;

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view, intended for the explanation of the driving system of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation, partly in section, of the multisectioned wire container which is one of the wire supply sources that can be used in the method and the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that in FIG. 1, showing another modification of the apparatus of the present invention for putting the method of the present invention into practice;

FIG. 7 is a fragmental side elevation, partly in section, of still another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, intended for use in putting another modification of the method of the present invention into practice; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view, intended for the explanation of the driving system of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Prior to describing the respective steps of one embodiment of the method of the present invention, there is first described the structure of the apparatus used for putting this method into practice, by referring to FIG. 1. This FIG. 1 shows an example in which a novel multisectioned wire container is used.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 represents a base pedestal which is stationary and fixed. On this pedestal is fixed a lower sun gear 2 having a hollow cylindrical shape and having a toothed section 21. In the hollow section of this lower sun gear 2 is attached a hollow cylindrical main shaft 3 having a central bore 31, in such a fashion as to be rotatable relative to said lower sun gear 2. On top of said main shaft 3, there is attached an upper sun gear 4 having a toothed wheel 41, in such a fashion as to be rotatable relative to said main shaft 3. On top of this sun gear 4 is fixed horizontally a tray 42 for receiving a wire container having a concentrically arranged cylindrical sections.

A driving pulley 5 is fixed, by a key, for example, at a position between said upper sun gear 4 and said lower sun gear 2 of said main shaft 3. Through a peripheral apertured portion of this driving pulley 5, there is rotatably attached a planetary gear shaft 6 in parallel relation with said main shaft. At both the upper and the lower ends of this shaft 6 are secured an upper planetary gear 7a and a lower planetary gear 7b, the former meshing with the toothed section 41 of the upper sun gear and the latter meshing with the toothed section 21 of the lower sun gear.

Let us assume that an arrangement is provided that the ratio of the number of teeth between the gear 41 and the gear 7a is identical with that between the toothed section 21 and the gear 7b, and also that, at the end of the completion of one revolution of the lower planetary gear 7b around the lower sun gear 2 which is effected by the rotation of the driving pulley 5, the upper planetary gear 7a will have completed one revolution around the upper sun gear 4, and further that, accordingly, the upper sun gear 4 will not make relative movement with respect to the lower sun gear 2.

On the other hand, a stand 9 is secured upright by means of a bracket 91. A horizontally extending arm 10 is attached to the upper portion of this stand 9. A rotary member 11 is supported at the outermost end portion of this arm 10 so as to be rotatable about. a vertical axis relative to said arm 10.

Diametrically opposing flyer brackets 8 and 8 are fixed to the upper face of the driving pulley 5 on one diameter thereof. The outermost ends of these flyer brackets and the corresponding outermost ends of the rotary member 11 are connected together by connecting rods or connecting wires 12 and 12', respectively. As will become clear from the description which will be given later, said flyer brackets 8 and 8, the driving pulley 5 and the main shaft 3 integrally constitute the wire feed flyer section.

Description will hereunder be made on a modified example of the structure in the order of the course of the run of wires. Wires, especially single wires We are fed from, for example, concentric two annular cylindrical sections Cl and C2 (in the example of FIG. I) which constitute a cover container indicated in general by P and having coaxially arranged multiple compartments. These plurality of wires (two wires in the example of FIG. 1) are collected together as they pass through a collecting die 11a mounted on said rotary member 11 in coaxial relationship with the rotational axis of said member 11. Then, they are twisted together into a strand W as will be described later, and after the direction of their travel has been altered by a first guide roller R, provided in said rotary member 11, the strand W is guided further by an appropriate number of guide rings 12a and 12b which are provided on said connecting rod 12 at appropriate intervals from each other. Therefrom, after passing around a second guide roller R which is provided at the radically outermost end of the flyer bracket 8, and passing through an aperture 51 formed through a peripheral portion of the driving pulley 5, the strand enters into the lower section of this pulley. After the direction of the travel of the strand has then been changed again by a third guide roller R provided on a main vertical shaft 3 the strand proceeds vertically downwardly through the bore 31 of said main shaft. Then, passing around, for example, a fourth guide roller R attached to the base pedestal 1, and then around a fifth guide roller R provided in the lower portion of the stand 9, the strand proceeds upwardly, and after passing a sixth guide roller R it is delivered outside the system.

The driving pulley 5 of the flyer section is driven, via a belt 18, by a pulley 17. In case a number of such feed and twisting devices are required as those used in a strander, such devices may be provided in series relations as shown generally at A and separately A,, A A in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3. Or, alternatively, they may be arranged conveniently in two rows consisting of pairs of opposing devices. In such an arrangement, the driving mechanism for these devices may comprise, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a common driving shaft 14 extending close to the respective feed and twisting devices which are provided as pairs A A A,,, and a combination of a bevel gears 15 and 16 coupled to said shaft 14 so that a pulley 17 may be rotated through said combination, as shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 4, numerals 19a and 1% represent tension rollers. The pitches of the twisted wires fed from the respective feed and twisting devices may be altered by changing, at the required ratio, the number of the driving rotation of the section intended for deriving the rotation from the common driving shaft 14.

The following description will be directed to the operation of the apparatus of the present invention. The flyer section is rotated by the aforesaid driving mechanism, and simultaneously therewith the strand W is fed at the required speed. More specifically, the aforesaid operation comprises, for example, actuating the strander shown in FIG. 2 to rotate the takeup bobbin S of the strand. Individual wires We are withdrawn from the respective annular cylindrical sections C C of the coaxially multisectioned wire container P and these wires are collected together by the collecting die 11a. At this moment, the respective wires are back twisted at the rate of 360 per loop. However, because the loops are different in diameter with each other, each wire is back twisted at a different rate. When these wires having back twists of different rate are collected together, there is expected a desirable effect in terms of the improvement of electric characteristics. As the flyer section is rotated, the rotary member 11 is also rotated accordingly. The wires which have been collected together by the collecting die 11a are twisted for the first time there. The twisted group of wires are again twisted for the second time between the third guide roller R;, which rotates with the main shaft 3 and the stationary fourth guide roller R... By this time, the group of wires is twisted sufiiciently into a strand, and the latter is fed outside the system in the previously described travelling course.

The flyer section is of the arrangement that a pair of brackets 8 and 8' are securely attached to the upper surface of the driving pulley 5 at diametrically opposing sites, and connecting rods 12 and 12' are attached to these opposing brackets 8 and 8'. As a result, the weight distribution about the rotary shaft is balanced and accordingly, high speed operation is feasible. Moreover, the provision of the guide rings 12a, 12b, etc., serves to prevent the radial outward warping or projection of the strand W. This also contributes to high-speed rotation of the flyer section.

As will be easily understood from the aforesaid operation of the apparatus of the present invention, the tray 42 need not be strictly stationary, but instead, it may be rotated at a low speed, provided that the speed does not cause entanglement of the wires delivered from the wire supply source and that the speed is within the range in which no lifting of the wire loops takes place due to the centrifugal force applied, especially in the case of a container of the aforesaid coaxially multisectioned type. The direction of rotation of the tray is preferably opposite to the direction of rotation of the flyer section. However, these two members may be rotated in the same direction. It should, therefore, be noted that the ratio of the number of teeth between the toothed section 41 and the gear 7a in the previously described planetary gear mechanism may not necessarily be identical with the ratio between the toothed section 21 and the gear 7b.

In the conventional stranding apparatuses, there were disposed necessary bobbins of twisted wires such as paired wire, tripled wire or quaded wire at the sites where the apparatuses A A A,, of the present invention are disposed, so that the product stranded wires were taken up in the strand wire takeup section S via the capstan C, the collecting and twisting nipper section I) and the tap winding section T. For this reason, in order to manufacture a strand, it was necessary to include an additional step of twisting together a required number of twisted wires by a separate twister and then to take up the twisted wires on a bobbin. However, according to the apparatus of the present invention, it will be understood that in case a paired wire is required, it is only necessary to use a concentric double-sectioned container having two annular cylindrical sections C, and C like the one described in detail in the aforesaid embodiment. Also, in case a tripled strand is required, it is only necessary to use a coaxial triple-sectioned container having three annular cylindrical sections C C and C, as shown in FIG. 5. It will be easily understood that in case a strand of wires of a greater number is required, it is only necessary to use a multisectioned container having a corresponding number of annular cylindrical sections.

As a modified example of the apparatus of the present invention, there may be considered an arrangement in which the rotary member 11 is driven separately, although not shown, in such a way that it is rotated at the same number of revolutions with the flyer section, and in which the connecting rods 12 and 12', etc., are omitted. In such an instance, there may be provided a single guide ring which encompasses the outer side of the rotational loci of the running twisted wires, in place of the guide rings 12a and 12b.

There has been described in detail the apparatus which can be suitably used in putting the method of the present invention into practice. I-Iereunder will be described the method of the present invention based on the foregoing statement.

The first step of the present invention lies in placing, in the stationary state, a multisectioned container having a plurality of concentrically disposed annular cylindrical sections. The next step is to collect together a plurality of individual wires delivered from these annular cylindrical sections by a collecting die which is provided above said container, preferably on the extension of the control vertical axis of the container. The next step is to rotate this collecting die. The next step is to alter the direction of the run of the collected wires, and to pass them through the outermost end of the flyer which circles round the aforesaid multisectioned container. Then, the group of wires is passed downwardly along the vertical axis of the rotary shaft within it. The group of wires is therefrom led outside this shaft. By circling the flyer while feeding the group of wires, the latter is twisted for the first time at the collecting die and then within said rotary shaft, once again. Therefore, the group of wires are twisted twice in all.

It will be more desirable if there is proved an auxiliary means for retaining each wire, prior to being collected by the die, under a uniform tension and in the same position relative to the other wires in the group. The foregoing are the steps of the method of the present invention.

The method of the present invention features also that it can use bobbins as the wire supply source. In such a case, bobbins are not rotated about their own rotational axis, but instead, there is adopted a method for withdrawing wires from a plurality of bobbins as shown in FIG. 6 (in which example there are used three bobbins 13,, B and B )-which are superposed one upon another on a common central vertical axis shared by the bobbin columns. In order to prevent possible damage of the wires and to insure smooth delivery of wires, the bobbins are provided with guide rings G G and G respectively. The

wires are withdrawn from the bobbins while sliding along the circumferences thereof.

Modified embodiments of the method of the present invention will hereunder be described by referring to FIGS. 7 and 8. As is clearly noted from FIG. 7, there is placed, for example, a single wire container P of the contemporary type for containing wire (in case of bobbin, there is placed a single bobbin). Accordingly, there will be fed a single wire, and there is no other wire which is to be twisted together with said single wire. In this case, the wire is given sufficient back twisting by the action of the apparatus of the present invention. By twisting together a plurality of wires which are fed after being given such a sufficient back twisting, there can be obtained, as is well known, a communication cable which is of a satisfactory electric characteristics. For example, in case it is intended to obtain a so-called quaded strand by the use of four wires, this purpose is accomplished by the provision of four apparatuses of the present invention in the manner as shown in FIG. 8.

In FIGS. '7 and 8, like reference numerals are used for parts which are similar to those shown in FIG. 1. However, the difference found in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 as compared with that in FIG. 8 is that there is used a mechanism in which a motion is transmitted by belts or chains b and b in place of the sun gears and the planetary gears in FIG. 1, and more specifically, the pulley of a certain device is rotated by a driving pulley 17 via a belt 18a and this motion of a pulley of a certain device is transmitted to another driving pulley 5 which is arranged integrally with said pulley of the certain device, so that another three devices are simultaneously driven through a belt l8 from said driving pulley 5. I

In the modified embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8, it will be noted that the wire supply source may be either in the form of a container, bobbin or bundle of wire.

As has been discussed above, the method and the apparatus of the present invention can employ, as the wire supply source, either containers, bobbins or bundles of wires. Also, these wire supply sources may be merely placed on a tray which is open on the top side thereof, so that the attachment of these wire supply sources is quite easy and simple, with the advantage that when empty they are quickly replaced by a loaded one. Furthermore, the wire supply source is not rotated at a great speed, and accordingly, the apparatus itself need not have a strong and large structure to overcome the effect of the centrifugal force applied. In addition, the wire supply source per se may be selectively of a large size, resulting in that the replacement frequency is reduced and that, accordingly, an enhancement of the rate of operation can be expected therefrom.

Also, the apparatus of the present invention is quite compact in size and accordingly the cost of manufacture is considerably reduced. This apparatus is of a simplified structure which is advantageous in that there is little fear for disorder.

According to the method and the apparatus of the present invention, a strand of a required number of wires is obtained at a high speed and with a highly increased efficiency as has been discussed previously in this specification, and this arrangement can be directly applied to the feed section of a strander. As a result, all other complicated accessory equipment and operations required in the prior art of this field: such as twisters; bobbins for storing and carrying the twisted wires and for being applied to a strander; operation for preparing the twisted wires; storage, transportation, attachment and removal of bobbins, can be omitted, altogether, and this is an outstanding feature of the present invention. In the case of embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in which there is obtained no twisted wire, it has the advantages that it may be utilized as the feed section of a twister or a strander and that a wire having sufficient back twist or twisted wire can be supplied at a high speed.

The spirit of the present invention is shown in the scope of claim affixed to this specification, but it should be noted that various modifications of the invention may be made, by those skilled in the art, without departing the spirit of the present invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for making a strand of wires and feeding the same at high speed, comprising:

tray means for coaxially mounting a plurality of coils of wire;

collecting die means axially spaced from the tray means in one direction;

a pair of wire guide means spaced from the tray means in the opposite direction;

additional wire guiding means disposed in a path leading from the collecting die to one wire guide means of said pair, for bypassing the tray means and reversing the direction of advance of the wire;

means for rotating the collecting die means and said one wire guide means angularly with respect to the tray means and with respect to the other wire guide means of said pair, this rotating being angularly about an axis extending in said one direction and said opposite direction, whereby wires may be led axially from each of the coils with consequent back-twist, through the collecting die means to impart a twist thereto, through a reversal in direction of advance of the wires, and then further twisted while advancing from said one wire guide means to said other wire guide means of said pair of wire guide means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tray means comprises a multicompartment container including a plurality of radially spaced tubular wall means defining among them a plurality of coaxial, annular compartments, each compartment being configured to receive one coil of wire of the coils of wire to be stranded.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said multicompartment container, said collecting die means and said pair of wire guide means are mutually coaxial.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further including means for rotating said multicompartment container at a lesser number of revolutions per unit time than said collecting die means and said one wire guide means are rotated by the first-mentioned means for rotating.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said collecting die means, said additional wire guiding means and said one wire guide means are all mounted on a flyer.

6. An apparatus for making a strand of wires and feeding the same at a high speed, comprising a tray for receiving thereon a wire supply source and not rotatable about its own central axis; a flyer section positioned below said tray and rotatable relative to said tray and having a rotational central axis provided with a central bore for passing said wires therethrough and also having guide rollers at positions radially outside of said tray; and a collecting die positioned above said tray and also on the central axis of rotation of said flyer section and adapted to be rotated at the same speed with that of the flyer,

characterized by said wire supply source consisting of a multisectioned container having a plurality of concentrically arranged annular cylindrical sections.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 being provided with a driving means for rotating said collecting die at the same speed with that of said flyer section.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, being provided with connecting members for connecting integrally said collecting die and said flyer section.

9. A process for making a strand of wires and feeding the same at high speed, comprising:

coaxially disposing a plurality of coils of wire while maintaining each coil physically segregated from the other(s); pulling wire axially in a first direction from each coil and leading the wire pulled from the coils in said direction through a collector disposed coaxially with the coils; rotating the collector relative to the coils, angularly about an axis proceeding in said direction to twist the wires passing therethrough into a strand; leading the stranded wires through a reversal of direction and guiding the stranded wires to a location disposed on the axially opposite side of the plurality of coils from the collector, said location being in coaxial alignment with the collector; passing the stranded wires at said location between a guide rotating with the collector and a stationary guide, thus further stranding the stranded wires;

and leading oft" the further stranded wires.

10. A method for making a strand of wires and feeding it at a high speed, comprising the steps of pacing a wire supply source for delivering a plurality of wires on a tray; collecting the plurality of wires delivered from said supply source by the use of a collecting die positioned above said source; leading the collected group of wires downwardly, then passing this group of wires around a guide roller carried on a flyer circling round said tray and then passing said group of wires downwardly in the position of the rotational axis of said flyer; and thereafter feeding, outside the system, the strand of wires twisted at said collecting die and also at said rotational axis, characterized in that said tray is not rotated about its own central axis and said wires are back-twisted at the rate of 360 per loop in being fed from said supply source.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said wires are delivered from a plurality of concentrically arranged annular cylindrical sections. 

1. Apparatus for making a strand of wires and feeding the same at high speed, comprising: tray means for coaxially mounting a plurality of coils of wire; collecting die means axially spaced from the tray means in one direction; a pair of wire guide means spaced from the tray means in the opposite direction; additional wire guiding means disposed in a path leading from the collecting die to one wire guide means of said pair, for bypassing the tray means and reversing the direction of advance of the wire; means for rotating the collecting die means and said one wire guide means angularly with respect to the tray means and with respect to the other wire guide means of said pair, this rotating being angularly about an axis extending in said one direction and said oppoSite direction, whereby wires may be led axially from each of the coils with consequent back-twist, through the collecting die means to impart a twist thereto, through a reversal in direction of advance of the wires, and then further twisted while advancing from said one wire guide means to said other wire guide means of said pair of wire guide means.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tray means comprises a multicompartment container including a plurality of radially spaced tubular wall means defining among them a plurality of coaxial, annular compartments, each compartment being configured to receive one coil of wire of the coils of wire to be stranded.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said multicompartment container, said collecting die means and said pair of wire guide means are mutually coaxial.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 further including means for rotating said multicompartment container at a lesser number of revolutions per unit time than said collecting die means and said one wire guide means are rotated by the first-mentioned means for rotating.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said collecting die means, said additional wire guiding means and said one wire guide means are all mounted on a flyer.
 6. An apparatus for making a strand of wires and feeding the same at a high speed, comprising a tray for receiving thereon a wire supply source and not rotatable about its own central axis; a flyer section positioned below said tray and rotatable relative to said tray and having a rotational central axis provided with a central bore for passing said wires therethrough and also having guide rollers at positions radially outside of said tray; and a collecting die positioned above said tray and also on the central axis of rotation of said flyer section and adapted to be rotated at the same speed with that of the flyer, characterized by said wire supply source consisting of a multisectioned container having a plurality of concentrically arranged annular cylindrical sections.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 6 being provided with a driving means for rotating said collecting die at the same speed with that of said flyer section.
 8. An apparatus according to claim 6, being provided with connecting members for connecting integrally said collecting die and said flyer section.
 9. A process for making a strand of wires and feeding the same at high speed, comprising: coaxially disposing a plurality of coils of wire while maintaining each coil physically segregated from the other(s); pulling wire axially in a first direction from each coil and leading the wire pulled from the coils in said direction through a collector disposed coaxially with the coils; rotating the collector relative to the coils, angularly about an axis proceeding in said direction to twist the wires passing therethrough into a strand; leading the stranded wires through a 180* reversal of direction and guiding the stranded wires to a location disposed on the axially opposite side of the plurality of coils from the collector, said location being in coaxial alignment with the collector; passing the stranded wires at said location between a guide rotating with the collector and a stationary guide, thus further stranding the stranded wires; and leading off the further stranded wires.
 10. A method for making a strand of wires and feeding it at a high speed, comprising the steps of pacing a wire supply source for delivering a plurality of wires on a tray; collecting the plurality of wires delivered from said supply source by the use of a collecting die positioned above said source; leading the collected group of wires downwardly, then passing this group of wires around a guide roller carried on a flyer circling round said tray and then passing said group of wires downwardly in the position of the rotational axis of said flyer; and thereafter feeding, outside the system, the strand of wires twisted at said collecting die and also at said rotational aXis, characterized in that said tray is not rotated about its own central axis and said wires are back-twisted at the rate of 360* per loop in being fed from said supply source.
 11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said wires are delivered from a plurality of concentrically arranged annular cylindrical sections. 